The Christmas Shoes
by 2OwlsATweeting
Summary: Draco Malfoy discovers the truth about Christmas and learns a little about himself, with the help of a little boy. One-sided Dramione.


**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or the song/title. All characters belong to J. K. Rowling and the song "Christmas Shoes" own written by Leonard Ahlstorm and Eddie Carswel.**

**WARNING: This fanfic is based off of the the song Christmas Shoes, a heart wrenching song. Character death. **

_**~ The Christmas Shoe~**_

It was December 24th, Christmas Eve. And here he was, still trying to buy that last gift or two. Draco Malfoy was not a last minute person, he never had been and he never would be. He was always punctual and never waited till the last minute. Yet, here he was, in line at Madam Malkin's buying his mother a Christmas gift.

His mother had decorated the Manor for Christmas, much to Lucius's dismay. For weeks Narcissa Malfoy had been singing carols, baking and shopping. His mother loved to entertain and consequently, this holiday season had passed in a blur of parties, dinners and balls. But even with all the decorations, carols and parties, even the white snow on the ground, Draco Malfoy still wasn't in the Christmas spirit.

Standing right in front of him was a little boy, waiting anxiously. Draco checked his watch impatiently. His mother would kill him if he was late for the Christmas feast. He craned his neck around to see what was taking so long. The boy, no older then seven, was tapping his foot against the floor. In his hands he held a pair of Christmas shoes.

He was tall for his age, thin and gangly. His red, curly locks looked as if they hadn't been brushed in weeks. His clothes, worn and old. He was dirty from head to toe and appeared to be shaking from the cold. He seemed like a friendly child as he began speaking with the clerk. Draco pulled out his phone and scrolled through his emails. Might as well get some work done and get ahead.

However, Draco paused when he heard the boy speak.

"Sir," the boy said to the cashier. "I want to buy these shoes, for my Mama, please. It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size. Could you hurry, sir? Daddy says there's not much time... You see she's been sick for quite a while and I know these shoes would make her smile. And I want her to look beautiful if she meets Jesus tonight." Draco couldn't believe what he was hearing. This boy's mother was dying...

The little boy began pulling sickle after sickle out of his pocket. He stood there, counting sickles for what seemed like years.

"Son," the clerk said, gently. "There's not enough here." The boy began searching through his pockets, frantically turning each pocket inside out. Then he turned to look at Draco.

Draco stifled a gasp. This was her son... He had her eyes. Her beautiful, doe brown eyes. He remembered how they sparkled when she laughed and how they had looked at him with unconditional love and trust. He had betrayed that trust many a year ago. He had tried to move on. He really had. But he couldn't get her out of his head.

"Mama made Christmas good at our house... Though most years she just did without. So, Tell me Sir, what am I going to do? Somehow I've got to buy her these Christmas shoes," the little boy implored Draco. The boy's eyes were wide, his bottom lip trembling. Draco internally cursed. The boy's mother had pulled this face many times... particularly when she wanted something. And she had gotten it. She had had Draco wrapped around her little pinkie. he would've brought her the moon, had she asked for it.

Draco pulled out ten galleons and put them on the counter. He just had to help this boy, her son. He had to do right by her... if not her, then her son. because Draco loved her... he had never stopped loving her. He had let her go... it was for her own good. She deserved better then him. And as long as he lived, Draco never forgot the look on Hugo Weasley's face when he said, "Mama's gonna look so great!"

Instead of going home, Draco found himself walking along a quaint little street, just on the outskirts of Stratford. He knew immediately which was hers... The lawn was neat and trim, the landscape exquisite. She had always loved the Christmas roses he had bought her. The only light in the house was candles which flickered in the windows. The drapes were drawn shut. To a pedestrian the house would look deserted... But Draco knew better. He walked to the door and left a neatly wrapped present on the stoop, knocked once and Disapperated into the night.

Draco knew he'd caught a glimpse of heaven's love... He knew that God had sent that little boy to remind him just what Christmas was all about...

The day after Christmas a lone figure stood in a graveyard, holding a bouquet of Christmas flowers. Snow had began to fall softly to the ground. The man didn't feel the bite of the wind or the ground beneath his feet. It wasn't possible... She couldn't just be dead... She had died on Christmas Eve of breast cancer. Fate was cruel. She didn't deserve to die... No one really deserved to die... She had a whole life ahead of her... She was supposed to have lots of kids and die peacefully, at an old age... Not like this. He hoped she had gotten his message in time... There was a note, hidden in the book he had gotten her.

"I never stopped loving you."

He didn't sign it... She would know who it was from. He hoped Hugo had said good-bye. He hoped her husband had stayed at her side. He hoped she had tried on the Christmas Shoes.

After that day, the world seemed a little darker... A little colder. His ray of sunshine was gone, lost to the storm. He hoped she was in a better place... A place of joy, a place of hope. A place were suffering and pain was virtually non existent.

He stood there, at her grave, all day, tears pouring down his pale cheeks. He talked to her. Talked to her about life, his feelings and how he was trying to find the strength to move on. He re-lived old memories. The good and the bad. The happy and sad. Their first kiss and their first fight. Their first date and their first break up. Their wedding and their divorce. Their baby who was buried next to his mother...

As the night progressed the sky cleared and the stars, shining brightly appeared. He looked up and saw their star, twinkling so far away. It was in that moment he realized he had been forgiven. She forgave him.

**A/N: Just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas!**

**~Katherine **


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